Store-service apparatus.



No. 758,060.' PATBNTED APRJZ-B, 1904;. E. R. GILL.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION rum) JULY 26, 1895. no MODEL. 16 sums-sum 1.

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145177166366 1710271107 N EJZ .G/i-ZZ No. 758,060. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

E. R. GILL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION I'ILED JULY 26, 1895. N0 MODEL.

16 BHEBTSBHEBT 8- WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

E. R. GILL. STORE SEEvIcE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILLED JULY 26. 1895.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES: 45 fal By his 14/12? PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

B. R. GILL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1895.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

N0 MODEL.

' INVENTOR:

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No. 758,060. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904. E. R. GILL.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1895.

H0 MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

1 s WITNESSES: 6%, M INVENTOR: 5%

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PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

E. R. GILL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1895.

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'No MODEL.

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No- 758,060. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

E. B. GILL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1895.

16 BHBETSBHEET 8.

N0 MODEL.

No. 758,060. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904,

E; R. GILL. STORE SERVIGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1895.

N0 MODEL.

1B si ma-sum. 9.-

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P ATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

E. R. GILL. v STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOR FILED JULY 26, 1895.

16 snnms.-8nnnr 10.

N0 MODEL.

E11. Gill PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

B. R. GILL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION rmm JULY 26. 1895.

16 SHEETS-$133111. 11.

N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED APR; 26, 1904.

B. R. GILL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLIOAIIDH FILED JULY 26, 1895.

16 SHEETS-SHEET '12.

N0 MODEL.

co. PnomLn-ncv. WASHINGTON o c No. 758,060. PATENTBD APR. 26, 1904.

E. R. GILL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

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No. 758,060. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

' E. R. GILL. v STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1895. I No MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET 14- Mag/g MW No. 758,060. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

E, R. GILL.

STORE SERVIGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1895.

NO MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET 15.

g i N g g N0 Q Ma:

WITNESSES W 1 ffz .AT ORA/Ex.

No. 758,060. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

B. R. GILL. A

STORE SERVIGE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOR nun JULY 26. 1895.

16 SHEETS-11113! 16.

WITNESSES: IN ENTOR wwffiww ATTORNEY i No. 758,080.

UNITED STATES Patented. April 26, 1904.

EDWIN R. GILL, OF INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,060, dated April 26, 1904. Application filed July 26, 1895- Serial No. 557,132. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN R. GILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Independence, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Store- Service Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the said specification.

My invention has relation toaform of storeservice apparatus combining the functions of a cash carrier, a change-maker, and a cashregister.

One object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which shall enable each salesman in a store to speedily and conveniently make change and deposit payments, the cash being at the same time kept in a central receptacle in communication with a number of salesmen. By the use of my invention these advantages are attained without the employment of a cashier at the point of receipt of payments.

Another object of my invention is the providing of apparatus whereby a mechanism may be operated to count out any desired quantity of change and at the same time make a record of the amount and destination thereof.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a diagram exhibiting my preferred arrangement of electrical circuits for connecting and controlling the relative movements of the various parts of my store-service apparatus when the same is constructed to operate electrically. Fig. 2 is a side view of the change maker and recorder preferably employed by me at the central station or point of deposit of the cash when received, certain details being omitted for clearness which are elsewhere clearly illustrated. Fig. 3 is a top View of what is shown in Fig. 2, the actual change-expelling mechanism being omitted for clearness of disclosure of parts beneath it and illustrating my preferred change maker and recorder as adapted to hand manipulation. Fig. 4 is a detail side view of my recorder, showing its connection with that portion of the central-station instrument which acts as an order-selector in a manner hereinafter described, certain portions being shown in vertical section. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the lower portion of the change-selector. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one element of my change-selector adapted to hand manipulation and showing a preferred means whereby the degree of depression of the drop-bars may be controlled. Fig. 7 illustrates a preferred mechanism for restoring the drop-bars to their normal position after operation of the machine and makes clear the step-by-step action of this form of restoring mechanism. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the horizontallyworking portion of my change selector and depositor, showing the mode of connection between the lifting-levers and the drop-bars. Fig. 9 illustrates a preferred arrangement of money-magnets and the mode of applying said magnets to the operation of the dropbars. Fig. 10 is a top view of my changedistributer and order-selector isolated from the remainder of the central machine and showing one means for insuring their simultaneous operation. Fig. 11 is a sectional detail of one of the elements of my preferred order-selector, taken on the line w w of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a side view of a portion of a preferred form of change-distributer. Fig. 13 shows a preferred'form of car-starting magnet in side elevation, Fig. 13 showing the same in plan and in its preferred location with respect to the parts shown in Fig. 10 on the same sheet. Fig. l iis a sectional view of the form of power-transmitting mechanism which I prefer to employ for actuating the changedistributer and is taken on the line y y of Fig. 10. Fig. 15 is a detail side view of a portion of my station type-selector also seen in Fig. 4. Fig. 16 is a side view of what I term my maintaining-switch, showing its relation to the starting-switch for the cash-carrier car when the change-maker and cash-carrier are combined, which is my preferred construction. Fig. 17 is a top view of a number of these maintaining-switches as employed at a central instrument supplying four salesmen and showing in detail one means for automatically opening said maintaining-switch at the proper time. Fig. 18 is a side view of one end of the cash-carrying track, showing its receptacle.

' for stopping and starting the cash-carrier cars.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view of a preferred form of buffer employed at a track-terminal. Fig. 21 is a sectional view of a preferred form of caslr'earrying car. Fig. 22 is an end view of the same, showing the payment depositor. Fig. 23 is a sectional view of the change-re- Fig. 24: is an end view of the cashcarrying car seen from the end opposite to that which is shown in Fig. 22 and showing the cash and change receptacles in the opposite positions to that shown in Fig. 22 in relation to the driving mechanism. Fig. 25 is an end view of the car-motor, showingthe relative positions of the reversing-switch and motorbrushes as preferably used by me. Figs. 26 and 27 are detail views of the circuit-reversing devices on the cash-carrying car. Fig. 28 is a sectional plan view of my preferred form of electrical selecting operator, exhibiting the electric connections there employed-and also showing the order-setting device in part, together with its electrical circuits, so far as they are found connected with my preferred form of salesmans instrument. Fig. 29'is an elevation of two money-keys as preferably used in my selecting-operator. Fig. 30 is an elevation of a detail in the order-setting device.

Fig. 31 is ahorizontal section through my preferred selecting-operator, showing its preferred position with relation to the order-setting device. Fig. 32 is a side elevation of the same. Fig, 33 is an end elevation of the same, showing the, same end of the order-setting de vice as is shown in Fig. 30. Fig, 34 is an elevation of the other end of the order-setting device. Fig. 35 is a perspective view of the record-bar and magnet, together with the motor-frame and certain closely-related parts; and Fig. 36 is a small-scale perspective of the general aspect of a store equipment for four stations arranged in accordance with my preferred form of invention.

It is to be understood that my invention is of a pioneer character in several aspects, to be hereinafter more fully explained and set forth in my claims, and in its broadest aspects my invention contemplates the association of certain elements adapted to a certain organic relation of functions or duties without regard to the specific form given to such elements or to the specific motor-power employed. It is to be understood, therefore, that many of the agencies which I describe hereinafter as depending upon electrical action for their operation may nevertheless be otherwise arranged or otherwise actuated. than as by me described in detail without affecting the broad aspect of my invention, so long as the various agencies,broadly claimed,bear that relation to each others action and duty which is called for by the terms of any particular claim or claims.

Analyzing my invention as a whole, it will be found that it is primarily composed, when all its novel elements are present, of four principal agencies-namely,- the preparing devices, the ehange-maker, the recorder, and the cash-carrier. It is to be understood, however,

that this analysis applies exhaustively to the I total assemblage of related mechanisms and that the use of one or more of these larger groups alone or together without others would be as truly an infringement as the use of all the groups named. The instrumentalities comprised in each of these groups'are'not necessarily associated closely in space, and in some instances a-portion of the elements in one group will be found closely associated both in position and function with the elements of another group. 'As' a general proposition it is true, however, that the preparing device is principally under the direct control of the salesman, that the change maker and recorder, or either of these, is located at the central money-depositing station, as preferably used, while the cash-carrier acts as a means of communication between the salesman and the change-maker.

For the purposes of this case it will be convenient to commence the description of my invention with the change-maker proper and incidentally with the recorder, usually and preferably closely associated therewith.

In Fig. 2 is shown a partial side view of the combined change. maker and recorder mounted in a frame 1. The change-maker proper comprises a change-selector, an orderselec tor, a change-deposlto'r, a change-d1str1buter,

and a restorer. Of these the order-selector and change-distributer have relation only to the us'of my invention in connection with a number of salesmen to each change-maker, this being my preferred construction and that hereinafter fully described byme. The fact that I describe and show this fuller development of my invention herein' is not to be understood, however, as in any sense dedicating to the public that form of my invention wherein only one station is served .by one change-maker, whether near to or far from said station and whether served in connection with a mechanical cash-carrier or not. In other words, it is to be understood that my claims cover, among other things a changemaker 'at the salesmans station operated by hand directly and serving merely to count out and deliver at the machine the change called for.

Since my device may be actuated by hand or by any prime mover in any well-known manner, I have omitted in my drawings any actual representation of a prime mover, leaving it to be understood that the power may be applied to my device through the pulley 2 and showing only in Fig. 1 an electric motor at 110 in its proper connection with my electrical system, as an illustrative case of a prime mover.

Taking first the change-selector. it must be stated that it is that portion of my device which connects the appropriate parts of the change-depositor with the motive mechanism of the change-maker. This element of my invention may of course assume many forms; but I prefer that illustrated principally in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8. As shown in these figures in connection with the change-depositor, my selecting device consists of a series of lifting-bars, (shown at 3 in Fig. 8,) which are preferably made in the form of a U-shaped bail, as there shown, pivoted to a common axis 1. These lifting-bars are adapted to raise or lower the slide-bars 5, belonging to the changedepositor, as hereinafter described. The lifting-bars are connected to drop-bars 6 by means of frictional engagement, which is secured by means of the springs 7, preferably mounted upon pins passing through slots 8 in the upper ends of the drop-bars 6, said pins being supported by the lifting-bars and causing the drop-bars to rub against the lifting-bars when moving either up or down.

Continuing description of the change-selector and referring now to Figs. 5 and 6 particularly, two means will be seen whereby the drop-bars may be caused to depress the lifting-bars3 in operation of this form of changeselector. The drop-bars are controlled by springs 9, attached at one end to a portion of the frame 10, through which the drop-bars preferably pass and upon which the shoulder 11 of the drop-bar 6 may engage for holding the drop-bar up. The direction of the spring 9 is such as not only to hold the drop-bar down against the frame 10, but to pull it forward and insure engagement of the shoulder 11 with the frame 10 when the drop-bar is lifted.

In Figs. 2, 5, and 6two means are indicated for pushing the drop-bar out of engagement with the frame 10. For this purpose pushbars 12 are used, which in one method of engagement transmit a pressure from the button 13 or magnet-armature 13 (see Fig. 2) directly to the edge of the drop-bars, and so push the shoulders 11 off of the frame 10. In the other method the proper push bar or bars act through modifying means such as are shown in Fig. 6, whereby the drop-bars when withdrawn from engagement with the frame are prevented from falling the full distance allowed by the position of the restoring mechanism hereinafter described and are caught part way. One preferred form of modifying means for this purpose, forming a part of my changeselector, 1 have shown in Figs. 5 and 6 as consisting of a pivoted catch-lever, as 14 14:, so placed underneath the frame 10 that when the drop-bar is pushed off by the end 1 5 of the catchlever the shoulder 11 falls onto said end 15,

and the downward movement of the drop-bar is arrested at a point corresponding to the dimensions of the catch-lever. In order that one drop-bar may be controlled by any oneof a number of said modifying means, as is desirable in most instances, it will be found convenient to actuate the catch-levers 14 14: by means of an axle or axles, as 16 16, running along the instrument to a convenient point say l7when a trip-lever, as 18 1818 ,mounted on its axle 16 or 16, permits rotation of the latter by movement of the push-bar 12. The automatic return of the modifying means and of the push-bar 12 is accomplished by any well-known device.such as, for instance, the spring 19. (See Fig. 6.)

In some instances it will be found convenient to transmit power from the trip-lever, as 18 18, to the catch-lever, as 14*01'14, by means of a sleeve 20 or 20, mounted upon the axle, as 16, belonging to and actuating another triplever and catch-lever. This is shown in Fig. 5 in a number of instances. By use of this expedient it is clear that independent and simultaneous connections between various push buttons and bars and their catch-levers can be accomplished both through movement of the shaft itself and through movement of a number of sleeves mounted thereon.

As shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 5, the drop-bar 6 may by use of one or the other of the modifying means applied to it be made to fall into any one of three positions, and a fourth extreme position of depression may be accomplished by using the direct push-bar 12 without the intervention of any modifying means whatever. By use of the frictional engagement between the drop-bar and the lifting-bar, as heretofore specified, the shortest of these downward movementsof the dropbar 6 sufficiently depresses its appropriate liftingbar to permit the appropriate slidebar 5 (an element in the change-depositor) to fall into a position of engagement with the motor-frame, as hereinafter described. Any more than the smallest depression so produced will merely occasion an inoperative rubbing between the drop-bar and the lifting-bar, since the stop 2O (shown in end view in Fig. 2) extends under the whole row of lifting-bars 3, as shown at 20 in Fig. 8, thus preventing farther downward movement than just enough to bring the shoulder 31 of the slide-bar 5 into engagement with the bar 30, as hereinafter described.

The cooperating elements described with reference to the drawings in the last eight paragraphs of this specification constitute the change-selector, (save in so far as said paragraphs contain explicit reference to certain parts of the depositor.) The term changeselector as used in my claims, however, is not confined in its meaning to the parts above described nor even to an assemblage of their strict individual equivalents, but stands in its broadest aspect for any subordinate part of a total system containing the general invention'which part does the duty of a changeselector as before defined. This observation is intended now to be. made once for all as applying to the various terms to which I have given particular meanings in this specification and accompanying claims. Each of these I terms will be hereinafter broadly defined, and

then the specific elements collectively comprised within the meaning of each term as these elements are found in the preferred form of my system will be pointed out. It is the broad definition in each case which must be understood when each term occurs in any claim.

Turning now to the motor mechanism of my change-maker, I preferably provide in this element of my system three shafts driven by the pulley 2. These are the motor-shaft 21, by which I mean that shaft through which is transmitted all the power used in the operation of the mechanical portions of my changemaker while operating, the restoring-shaft 22, by which I mean the shaft through which is transmitted the power for restoring the machine to inoperative position after operation, and the selecting-shaft 23, by which is meant the shaft through which is transmitted the power necessary to select which of a number of stations shall be served and recorded by the machine. It will of course be understood that the omission of therecording function' where recording is not desired will not evade the spirit of my invention and that this function.

latter two are shown in Fig. 4, the shaft 23- in Fig. 10, the shaft 22 in Fig. 35, and all three are shown in end View in Fig. 2. The

quickest of these shafts is the motor-shaft 21, whereby the actual movement of the coin is accomplished, and the operation of printing is carried on in the recorder when this latter is used. The restoring-shaft 22 is made to take one revolution for a certain given number of revolutions of the motor-shaft, and I preferably accomplish this by means of the gear shownin Fig. 7, similar in some respects to a Geneva stop. This gear comprises a disk 24:, mounted upon the motor-shaft and provided with a single pin 25, adapted to enter the radial slots in the pinion 26 once for every revolution of the shaft 21. The pinion 26 is fixed upon the shaft 22, and between the radial slots, which are intended for engagement with the pin 25, is provided with concave faces which fit the circular periphery of the auxiliary disk 24:, fixed to the side of the disk 24: and shown in Fig. 7 in dotted lines. This intimate engagement between the disk 24: and the concavities between the slots of the pinion 26 makes it impossible for any back motion to occur in the shaft 22 and insures immobility of the restoring-cam 4:2 for the purposes hereinafter described.

1 preferably provide the pinion 26 with six teeth and six slots, so that the restoring-shaft 22 is given one revolution for every six turns of the motor-shaft 21. This relative angular velocity is found convenient for distribution of coins made in accordance with the United States system of currency. It depends upon the maximum number of coins which under any tween shafts 22 and 23 as between 21 and 22;-

but the number of turns taken by the restoring-shaft 22 for every complete revolution of the selecting-shaft 23 depends upon the number of salesmen to be served from each central station. In the drawings, to which reference is made herein, the ratio of angular speed between these shafts is as one to four, since four salesmen are supplied from one change-maker in the specified instrument.

The motor-shaft actuates a motor-bar .27 (see Figs. 3 and 35) preferably by means of a pitman 28. This motor-bar preferably acts usually by means of the motor-frame, comprising two side levers 27, attached to a shaft 27 pivoted at 29, (see Figs. 2 and 35,) and joined at the top by an expelling -bar 30. (See Fig. 8.) The expelling-bar is the agency whereby the change-depositor is made operative in expelling the coins. Each revolution of the motor-shaft thus causes one complete .back-and-forth movement of the expelling- The various coins with which change canbe counted and desired sums made up are con- IIO tained within separate coin-tubes 34, adapted in sizes to the various coins, into which the coins can be dropped by the slots 35 or otherwise. These coin-tubes may, if desired, be inclosed in a box 33. (See Fig. 8.) Under these coin-tubes slides 36 are adapted to reciprocate for the purpose of pushing out the coins one by one into the chute 37, Fig. 2. The reciprocation of these slides is accomplished by means of the slide-bars when 

